The invention relates to improvements in hubs for wall mounting systems for screens, and in particular to a hub for a wall mounting system for a flat panel screen, such as a plasma display or television screen, which enables the screen to be tilted.
As a result of the use of plasma and LCD technology, many modern display screens and televisions are now significantly flatter than previously. This means that there is considerably more flexibility for mounting and installing them. It is particularly advantageous that these flatter screens can be wall mounted, either for home or business use, as this does not use up valuable floor or surface space. Although flat wall mounting systems have been the most common mounting option for such screens, tiltable wall mounting systems are preferable as this enables the screen to be placed higher than the desired eye level. Thus the screen can be located above shelves or a fire place and the need for a ceiling mount is avoided, which have hitherto been commonly used with commercial display screens.
As screens become heavier and larger, this creates complexities in the design and the components of the wall mounting system and in particular the mechanisms which enable the screen to be tilted. One such mechanism is the hub, which connects the screen bracket(s) to the wall mount.
Tilt adjustment in a number of prior art hubs is provided by a mechanical friction lock which allows an axle to freely move in a predetermined slider. After adjustment, the hub is locked by turning a threaded bar. The disadvantage of these devices is that the screens are generally heavy and awkward to handle and the full weight of the screen must be supported when the hub is unlocked.
In another prior art tiltable wall mount described in WO 2004/063619, the hub comprises an arcuate sliding connection between the screen mount and the wall mount enables the screen to be pivoted about a virtual pivot axis which passes through the centre of gravity of the display. This device has no clamping or other locking device to maintain the tilt position as the weight of the screen is balanced in any on of the angular positions.